Compare towns
Dorchester vs Eliot vs Kennebunk
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dorchester has the most affordable homes ($140k median).
Eliot has the shortest commute (23 min average).
Kennebunk has the most people working from home (32.5%).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Dorchester | Eliot | Kennebunk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 410Lowest |
7,146 |
11,820Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +8.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 56±10.5Highest 44% above U.S. |
50.8±5.9Lowest 31% above U.S. |
54.6±3.3 40% above U.S. |
| Dorchester and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 11.2%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
17.7%±3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Kennebunk and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 39.8%±15.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.8%±6.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
30%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Dorchester and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
51.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.5%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.7%±1.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Kennebunk and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | — | $101,522±$10kLowest 26% above U.S. |
$107,804±$8kHighest 34% above U.S. |
| Kennebunk and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $139,600±$133kLowest 58% below U.S. |
$498,900±$62kHighest 50% above U.S. |
$487,700±$21k 47% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,948±$471Highest 38% above U.S. |
$1,425±$290Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Eliot and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,779Lowest 21% above U.S. |
$4,549 46% above U.S. |
$4,999Highest 60% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.1%±20.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
37.1%±10.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Eliot and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 18.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 40 minHighest 52% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 15% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 12.2%±8.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
32.5%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #19 of 133 in ME | #9 of 133 in ME |
| School district | — | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | RSU 21 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Kennebunk High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.6 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.